The Rutgers women’s basketball team is ranked a lofty No. 13 in the country in the latest Associated Press poll. It’s the Scarlet Knights’ highest ranking since they were also ranked No. 13 on Nov. 24, 2008, and a further indication that coach C. Vivian Stringer has a team that can contend for the national championship.

But for the better part of 30 minutes tonight, the Scarlet Knights played down to the competition before Lehigh finally succumbed to Rutgers ‘55’ press defense and the offense awoke from its slumber to pick up a 68-40 victory at the Rutgers Athletic Center.

The Scarlet Knights (4-0) are off to their best start since the 2005-06 season when they won their first eight games and finished 27-5, reaching the Sweet 16.

“You can’t expect them to be perfect,” Stringer said.

“They’re trying. We have high goals and expectations. We need to get some things done. We’re trying to teach. We’re trying different combinations.

“I just want to be encouraging. I don’t think you saw a lack of effort. They’ll know when I’m upset.”

Although Rutgers’ heralded freshmen class is getting all the attention, fifth-year senior guard Khadijah Rushdan again paced the Scarlet Knights with a team-high 16 points. She has led the team in scoring — or shared the honors — in all four games.

Forward Betnijah Laney (eight points, five rebounds) and guard Briyona Canty (six points, three assists, three rebounds, three steals) led the freshmen brigade.

Guard Aly Byorick lead the Mountain Hawks (1-4) with 11 points. Lehigh made just 10 field goals, seven of them 3-pointers, and had 22 turnovers.

The Scarlet Knights next travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico to participate in the San Juan Shootout. They’ll face Georgia Tech on Friday and Arizona State on Saturday.

Leading by 12 points four minutes into the second half, the Scarlet Knights finally wore down an overmatched Lehigh team, stretching the advantage to 47-26 with 13:10 left to play sparked by their press (seven turnovers in that span). They were never threatened thereafter.

“The game is never going to be won in the first five minutes or 10 minutes,” Stringer said. “Most teams are going to wear down in the last 20 minutes and the greatest of teams aren’t going to crack until probably five minutes left in the game.”

NOTE: The Scarlet Knights’ Dec. 13 home game against Tennessee will be televised by ESPN at 7 p.m. The game was previously scheduled to be broadcast on ESPNU.